Saint and Sin
by lickitysplit
Summary: "I've been watching over Ban this entire time..." Elaine and Ban have a connection stronger than death. This is a story about that connection. Now posted: The Child Holy Knight
1. The Fairy King's Forest

**A/N:** Thank you for checking out this piece! This will be a series of one-shots about Elaine watching over Ban since her death. Each chapter will be a different event in Ban's life. I'm going to do my best to write this in chronological order, so please see the chapter titles in case you have only read/watched to a certain part of the story. Comments, questions, and critiques are always welcomed.

.o0o.

 **The Fairy King's Forest**

The entire world was fire, and pain. Elaine squeezed her eyes shut, biting the insides of her cheeks. Hot air blew across her fevered skin.

 _I didn't realize dying would hurt so much_ , she thought.

She thought about her brother, Harlequin, who was as powerful as he was reckless. She loved him intensely, even as he infuriated her. As angry as she was that he had left her for 700 years, alone with her terrible burden, she ached to think of how he would suffer when he learned she was dead.

But her thoughts only lingered on her brother for a short time before they strayed to Ban. He was the first human she had ever met that had a pure heart, and she found that remarkable. And he saw her—really saw _her_ —not just her power or the secret she protected in the forest. He was silly and brash and imprudent; she found him utterly fascinating.

The heat began to subside, and she could hear the voices of the Fairies on the other side calling to her, but she resisted. Elaine kept her mind focused on Ban. He was so young compared to her; his human life was like a blink of an eye to her own. But she realized the Fairies wasted their time in the living world because they had lifetimes to live; Ban was intense and filled with an energy that was more exciting than all the millennia she spent among her own kind.

 _I want to stay_ , she thought. She understood this was a terrible thing, but she didn't care. In seven days, Ban had shown her that her life could be something other than protecting the forest.

"I want to stay!" she declared. The voices stopped, the wind stopped, and she opened her eyes.

She was floating above the burning forest, looking down at her own body. There was a hole through the center, and her skin, clothes, and hair were caked in blood and dirt. It was a surreal moment, seeing herself dead, but then her heart leapt.

Ban was still there, kneeling next to her. "Come on," he said, "at least let me finish."

"Ban?" she said, but of course he couldn't hear her. She floated down and stood next to him.

He was sitting on the burned ground, holding her body, her head back against his shoulder. He traced his fingers over hers, then over her arms, and down her cheeks. He brushed her hair back and smoothed it down. Elaine watched, fascinated, as he straightened what was left of her clothing and smoothed the smudges of dirt from her skin.

When he was finished fussing over her, he laid her body on the ground, folding her hands together over her abdomen. Then, he just sat next to her, unmoving. Elaine sat too, watching him. She expected him to cry, or to yell, or do something, anything but sit there with his head bowed. Hours went by, and she thought he had fallen asleep.

She crawled closer, and was surprised to see his eyes were open. He was looking at his hands, and Elaine noticed he had the seed she had given him clenched tightly in his fist. She wondered if he knew how important that little seed was, and wished she could speak to him some more about it.

"Ban," she whispered. He could not hear her voice saying his name, or feel when she placed her hands over his, or see that she was crying even if he was not.

For the first time in hundreds of years, Elaine was scared. What did humans do when one of them died? She was afraid that they sat just as Ban did now, until they withered away. Then, a second, more horrifying thought: what if they don't react like this at all, and there was something wrong with him?

"Ban?" she said louder. Her throat hurt saying his name. More hours slipped away. Suddenly he looked up, straight at her, and she gasped in shock. But then he was up on his feet, walking quickly away, and she realized she was wrong. Elaine hurried after him, following until he stopped at the edge of the cliff she had knocked him over so many times a week ago.

He reared his arm back, and Elaine realized what he was going to do. "No! No!" She grabbed his arm to stop him from throwing the seed, as useless as the act was. "Please don't!" she screamed.

Ban paused. Elaine wrapped her arms around him, sobbing, "Please, don't throw it away." To her relief, he looked at the seed in his palm, and then turned and stalked back to her lifeless body. He stored the seed in his pocket, and then carefully lifted her into his arms. Turning on his heel, he walked away from the remains of the forest.

Elaine watched him go. She looked back to where the Great Tree once stood, and spied the chalice that used to hold the fountain of youth crushed on the ground. Brushing away her tears, she spun and chased after Ban.

For days he walked, carrying her body and the seed, and Elaine followed. He barely slept or ate, only stopping for a few hours at a time when he was too exhausted to go on. Elaine would watch him sleep, amazed at the emotions she would see on his typically stoic face. They did not meet anyone on their journey.

After days of travelling, Ban eventually stopped and looked around. "This will do," he said, and his voice startled her. She looked around and realized they were in a forest, not unlike the Fairy King's forest that was gone. She had been so intent on watching him she had not even noticed their surroundings.

Ban laid her body down on a patch of soft moss. He took care to smooth her dress and frame her face with her hair. "I hid out here once, when I was a kid," he said. "Your forest reminded me a lot of it. There's nothing for miles, so I think it should be pretty safe here."

Elaine watched in shock as he stepped a few paces away, looking around. Then, he crouched down and dug a small hole with his hand. Ban took out the seed and dropped it inside before straightening and kicking the soil back on top. "There we go," he said, whistling and walking back over to her silent form. "I hope this place is okay."

Elaine put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "It's perfect," she said.


	2. Trial and Punishment

**A/N:** All credit to Nakaba Suzuki for portions of the dialogue.

 **Trial and Punishment**

Elaine was so wrapped up in watching Ban sleep that she didn't hear the soldiers approach until they were practically on top of them. "Is that him?" one of them said, and Elaine scrambled to her feet in surprise.

"Yeah, it looks like his picture."

"What do we do? Do we wake him up first?"

"Out of the way." One stepped forward. Based on his armor, he was clearly a Holy Knight, and the leader of the group. He kicked Ban in the leg. "Get up."

"Is the kicking necessary?" Ban popped one eye open. "I'm already awake, you know. You guys are so loud I could hear you coming a mile away."

Ignoring the remark, the Knight took out a small scroll and read, "Bandit Ban, you are under arrest by the authority of King Baltra of Lyoness for crimes against the Fairy Realm."

" _That's_ what we've been hunting this guy for?" one of the soldiers exclaimed. "He did something to a bunch of _fairies_?"

"Hold your tongue, or I'll pull it out," the Knight growled. "This criminal destroyed the King's Forest." He looked down at Ban. "How did you do it anyway?"

Ban yawned. "Fell asleep smoking." He stretched out and yawned again.

"This isn't funny." The Knight reached down and grabbed him by the front of his jacket, pulling him to his feet. "You killed the Guardian Saint protecting the Forest."

Elaine gasped. Ban's smile disappeared and his face grew serious. He set his jaw. "Do you deny it?" the Knight demanded, but Ban didn't answer.

"Ban!" Elaine cried. "Tell him the truth. Tell him what happened!"

"Let's go," the Knight said, and the other soldiers strapped Ban's hands behind his back. He never struggled or argued, and went willingly when they pushed him forward.

Elaine followed as they brought him to a covered carriage nearby. He was shoved inside, and Elaine rode with him as they brought him to the capital. He never spoke a word as they traveled.

At the capital, Ban was put into a cell for nearly a week. The guards brought bread and water once a day, but Ban did not speak to them. Elaine watched over him worriedly. She knew that humans needed to eat and rest to survive. Now that she had given him the sacred waters, his life was not in any danger. But it was clear that he was suffering.

Ban's silence continued through the trial. The judges were Holy Knights, and one high-ranking Knight named Hendrickson served as the head judge. They brought forward a series of witnesses: another bandit, who claimed to have heard Ban talk about taking the Fountain of Youth; villagers who saw the forest burning from miles away; a scholar who was an expert on the Fairy Kingdom to discuss the devastation of losing the Sacred Tree; the arresting Holy Knight, who testified to Ban's confession of burning the forest.

One of the judges interrupted. "It seems peculiar," he said, "that one human, especially an un-knighted one such as he, would have the power to destroy the Fairy King's Forest. Many have tried and failed to even breach the borders. We're to believe this… whatever he is, not only got into the forest, but defeated the guardian and burnt it down?"

"Wouldn't it require a demon to cause such damage?" asked another. "The trees of the Fairy King could certainly withstand an ordinary fire."

"But there was no demon," Hendrickson declared. "There was no evidence found of such a creature." He looked straight at Ban. "Answer our questions. Is the Guardian Saint dead?"

There was a pause, and then Ban looked up. "Yes," he answered.

Murmurs echoed through the hall. "Did you cause the Saint's death?"

"Yes."

"No!" Elaine stood in front of Ban, looking up at his face, stoic as always. "Tell them what really happened! You tried to save me, save the forest—"

"Did you drink from the Fountain of Youth?"

"Yes."

"Bandit Ban," Hendrickson said, "to satisfy your own greed, you destroyed the Forest of the Fairy King, who had an alliance with us, and took the Fountain of Youth for yourself. In addition, you killed the Guardian Saint! For your sins, you will be sentenced to death!"

The voices rose to a fevered pitch as Ban and Hendrickson regarded each other. Hendrickson called for quiet. "Any last words?"

"If I have to say something," Ban said, "it's that you shouldn't get the name of the criminal wrong. My name is Undead Ban."

The Knights roared in fury at the arrogance of the prisoner. They led him away to the gallows, and Elaine cried as she followed. The executioner pulled him up to the platform and put the noose around his neck. Elaine hovered above the scene, her face buried in her hands.

Quickly he pulled the lever of the trap door and Ban's body fell. The Knights in attendance cheered as he thumped against the side of the wood door. But a minute later, a murmur went through the crowd. The prisoner wasn't dead.

Elaine pressed her hands to her cheeks and laughed in relief. The executioner pulled Ban from the trap door, and he sat on the side of the platform. There was much discussion about what to do, and Ban stretched out, putting his hands as a pillow beneath his head. "I guess you didn't hear," he mocked in a sing-song tone. "I'm undeaaaad."

"Enough of this!" the executioner shouted. He pulled a sword from his side and stepped forward, driving it through Ban's chest. Ban coughed in surprise, blood spraying from his mouth. "There," said the executioner with a deep breath.

"Still nothing," Ban choked, pulling the sword out. He sat up as the wound healed, his skin stitching itself up. "It realllly stung, though, if that helps."

Elaine laughed in spite of herself. She knew the incredible power that existed in the Fountain of Youth, but in a human it was remarkable! She followed as he was returned to his cell. She expected him to be happy, excited even, but as soon as the door was shut, he sat in the corner and leaned his head against the wall.

Elaine sat in front of him, studying his face closely. "Elaine," he whispered, and she reached out to touch his knee.

"Elaine. I understand now. What drinking that damned water means." She smiled sadly and laid her head in his lap. "I'm never going to see you again."


	3. The Child Holy Knight

**A/N:** Thanks to Nakaba Suzuki for portions of the story and dialogue.

.o0o.

 **The Child Holy Knight**

It had been four years since her death, but Elaine was actually… happy. Well, maybe happy wasn't exactly the right word. She felt content enough, which was better than how she had felt as the Guardian of the Fairy King's Forest. Back then she was angry with her brother, hurt at being abandoned by him, and incredibly lonely.

Now, she was with Ban, and for the first time in a long time, she felt loved. Even though he could not see or hear her, he talked to her all the time. Not that he had much else to do. Day after day, he sat in his cell, the door opening once a day for a guard to slide a tray of food inside. He had no visitors at all. Elaine thought that was odd at first, but as she learned more about his life, she came to understand there was no one to come.

Ban would tell her stories all the time: growing up in the streets, the people he met, his foster father, the treasures he stole to get his reputation as a bandit. Ban had been abandoned by everyone he knew, and Elaine was amazed to find that they had more in common than she had ever imagined. It made her smile to think about it. A human thief and a fairy princess; who would have ever thought they would share anything at all?

Elaine would talk to him too, hoping that one day he could tell that she was there with him. She told him about her family, and the names of the trees and plants in the forest, and the history of the fairy clan. Sometimes she imagined he was listening to her, and could feel her caress his hand or his cheek.

Occasionally their time would be interrupted with one execution attempt or another. After about a dozen of them, Elaine had stopped accompanying Ban to whatever technique the prison warden had dreamed up. She knew he would come back to her without a scratch, and it pained her to see him tormented.

"Elaine," he said to her one day. "Did I ever tell you why I'm such a good thief?"

He was sitting up against the stone wall, chains around his wrists and ankles. He stretched out his legs and put his hands behind his head, looking up towards the window. It was about 50 feet above his head, no more than a hole in the wall serving as the only source of light. Elaine sat next to him, folding her legs underneath her and facing him. "I don't think so," she answered with a smile.

"It's hard to explain," he continued, still looking up at the beam of sunlight shining into the cell. "But I can just take things by looking at them. I'll see some lady's necklace, or some old fat guy's purse filled with coins, and the next thing I know, I have it in my hand." He laughed suddenly, and Elaine flushed. It was not a sound she got to hear often, and it made her heart skip a beat.

"Do you remember when I grabbed the cup?" he said. "Oh, man, you should have seen the look on your face! I bet that was the first time in 700 years you were surprised by anything." Elaine giggled and nodded. Ban grinned with pride. "That's not something anyone else can say. I got one over on a fairy princess." He laughed again, and Elaine propped her chin on her hand, trying to memorize what he looked like as he laughed.

"A few years ago I started experimenting with my trick, and I realized if I used a staff or stick, I could pinpoint... well, whatever it is I can do. If I just reach out, I might grab the wrong thing, but if I have a weapon or something, I'm much more exact." He reached out his hand and flexed his fingers, and a small stone shot across the cell. "I think I can do it to people, too. There was this guy one time that got in my face, and we started fighting. He was trying to stab me with this knife, and when I went to steal it, he fell over. It was like he had lost control of his body. And I felt so strong, like I could lift a mountain."

Elaine nodded. She could always tell there was power inside him. She imagined that if he had lived a different life, he might have become a soldier; maybe even a Holy Knight.

Ban lifted his arms and gave a loud yawn. "Damn it, someone's coming. I am not in the mood to be executed today."

The door opened, and Ban winced in the sudden light. Elaine swung around and peered at the newcomer. She had been expecting one of the guards, maybe even the warden himself. But this was a stranger, with wild blonde hair and a dragon hilt sword slung across his back. Most amazing, he looked like a teenager.

"It's time for another execution?" Ban asked in his teasing voice. "It's such a hassle. I'm not moving an inch. If you need me for something, just do it here." His eyes finally adjusted, and he reached his hands back behind his head. But then his eyes widened.

"You're just a brat!" Ban sat up, leaning forward to stretch his back. Elaine stood, trying to get a better look at whoever this was. She could sense an incredible amount of power from him. Ban paid no attention, of course, and taunted, "Hey, I remember asking for ale, but I don't remember asking for a kid." Elaine sucked in a breath, feeling a tiny bit scared. She was afraid that this was someone Ban should not be teasing.

"Undead Ban," the stranger said seriously. His voice was as young as his appearance. "You're coming with me."

"Are you kidding me?" Ban drawled, clearly annoyed. "Go with you? A tiny brat? For what?" They stared at each other for a long moment, and when he didn't answer, Ban sang, "There's nothing even out there, so leave me alone already." Elaine could hear in his voice he was getting angry.

"Then I'll have to bust you out by force," he answered simply.

Elaine's mouth opened in surprise. She looked back and forth between the two, trying to figure out what was happening. But to her dismay, Ban grinned. "Interesting. I'd love to see you try. But even if you're a brat, I won't go easy on you."

" _Ban_ , what are you _doing_ ," she hissed at him. "Don't—"

Suddenly the room exploded. Elaine cried out, covering her head. The force of the blast had blown a huge hole through the wall Ban had just been leaning against. She flew out to find Ban with a glance over her shoulder at the boy. He stood exactly where he had been, wiping a trickle of blood away from his face. _Did he do this?_ she wondered.

She found Ban on the ground outside, lying on his back. The chains were gone, probably destroyed. His face and chest were covered in blood, dirt and chunks of rock stuck into his hair and beard. Elaine hurried to him and leaned over.

"Ban?" she whispered. He opened his eyes, and to her great surprise, he laughed. It was a great belly laugh that went on and on, until he was gasping for breath. "You really did bust me out!" he howled, followed by another roar of laughter. Elaine hovered above him, her arms crossed in annoyance. This was typical Ban, not taking anything seriously. He should be defending himself, or making a run for it, but instead, he just laid there and laughed.

"Looks like the first round is… my win." Elaine whirled on the boy, and thought she saw a twitch of a smile, which annoyed her even more. "Who _are_ you?" she growled at him through gritted teeth, but of course, he did not answer her.

Ban jumped up, his wounds fully healed. He had the biggest smile on his face she had seen since she had been alive. "Let's do this again!" he shouted.

"That's quite a recovery power," the boy said. "If you want to continue the game, you'll have to come with me."

Ban laughed wildly. Elaine crept towards the boy, who was brushing dirt from his coat. "Please don't hurt him," she said. The boy looked up, and for a split second, Elaine thought that he had heard her. But he was looking over her shoulder at the hysterical Ban. "Are you ready? The guards are going to be here in about half a minute, and it will be easier if we're not. I can explain everything on the way."

The boy hopped through the hole and started down the side of the hill, expertly sliding down through the rubble. Ban followed suit, still laughing. Elaine saw the guards picking their way through the ruined cell, shouting at him to stop, so she hurried after them.

"Try and keep up," the boy said as they reached the line of trees that started the forest. Ban turned to give back a retort, but the kid was already gone. He gave a whoop of excitement and took off after him. Elaine easily kept pace with Ban as he chased the stranger. They ran for miles, knocking over tree branches and jumping over anything in the way. Finally, the boy came to a halt, and Ban arrived moments later. "Here we are," he said, gesturing to a small camp.

"Thanks for the stretch, kid," Ban said, and then punched him in the face. The boy flew through the air, crashing through a line of trees and landing several dozen feet away. Elaine watched as he climbed to his feet and jogged back, seemingly unharmed. _He's definitely a Holy Knight_ , Elaine thought to herself. _But what could he possibly want with Ban?_

"Let's eat something," the boy said. "You must be starving." He started pulling out food and cooking equipment, easily getting a fire going. Elaine floated up and sat in the branch of a tree so she could keep an eye on both of them.

"Who are you anyway?" Ban finally asked.

"Meliodas," he replied. "Nice to meet you, Undead Ban."

"Just Ban is fine." Meliodas shrugged and started throwing things into the steaming pot. "What did you bust me out for?"

"I've been looking for you," Meliodas answered. "I had heard you couldn't be killed. Is that true?"

"Why are you putting _that_ in there?" Ban cried. Meliodas looked up from the herbs he was about to toss into the pot.

"It's an old family recipe," Meliodas answered. He tossed the herbs in, followed by a whole onion. Ban groaned. "So you can recover from any wound, and you're obviously fast. And you're strong too? Can you fight?"

"Yeah I can fight," Ban said. "You obviously can't cook worth a damn."

Meliodas frowned. "What do you mean? You haven't even tasted it yet."

"It smells like shit." Ban dipped his finger in the pot, ignoring Meliodas' protest. He licked the soup from his finger and made a face. "I changed my mind. Take me back to the prison."

Meliodas laughed and tossed in another onion. Ban yelled at him to stop, and from her perch, Elaine had a small smile on her face. Maybe, just maybe, things would turn out all right for Ban after all.


End file.
